Ibn Orator Exclusive 19MCs Interview!

Ibn Orator from New Haven Connecticut, just one of the dope MCs from our first quarter 19MCs list, tells us why he became a political rapper and why he feels they are needed.

N19: What inspired you to want to rap about politics or social topics?

Ibn: When I first started raping it wasn’t my intention to rap about politics and social issues but more of taking notice on how the walls around me were closing in and why ….ive always looked at others with curiosity of why people do the things they do and why we suffer

What inspired me to rap about these certain issues was when I realized the blueprint of our society had 6 faces instead of 3 after reading books like Albert pike morals and dogma and digesting concepts like the Ashlar stone.. which enhanced my perception of the world and all of its grey areas.

N19: Favorite book you recommend?

Ibn: Freedom of the known by Khrishnamurti

N19: #One hero in life?

Ibn: Well he might not agree with this nor may he
see this coming, but initially if I had to choose one hero it would be Harvey Jonzz of Setlionsden in New Haven CT.

Well known personal trainer now all over

Long story short if it wasn’t for him I might not have been MCing right now ….when I was 19, him being an MC himself at the time, became my mentor and he was the one who inspired me to rap ….

He didn’t realize it but with as much as I was going through in my personal life back then and as the years passed by hip hop was what kept me sane and civilized…. It helped me venture through so many emotions that I’m not sure I could have done on my own…..

And that in itself with as much as I’ve accomplish on my own since then …I have to thank Harvey for starting the process and that in itself is what makes him a hero to me.

N19: What is Consciousness to me?

Ibn: Consciousness is the ability to realize that one can not measure its limits and all the more reason to explore what it means to you.
It is the true essence of all and nothing simultaneously

N19: Who are your top two MC’s? And why

Ibn: Lupe fiasco for his imagery ….he has such a very concise and vivid way of drawing the picture for you in plain language …and very informative with his music.

And Jay Electronica’s handle on folklore and antiquity in his approach with how he connects the two with his words and how much info he can cram into one line is very beautiful to me. I also admire his self reflection and way of tackling real world issues in his songs as well.

N19: What is one of major obstacles in the music industry for you ?

Ibn: To be honest I haven’t really tackled the industry to find out and I’m not sure if I need to …I believe the industry will come to me ……perhaps when I was 19 the music industry was all I wanted …but as the years passed by …I haven’t felt I needed to ” tackle ” anything …my spirit has brought me to all sorts of platforms that I’ve felt would propel me forward …and I have faith that the universe bares no ill to me and I bare no ill to it…… I am confident I will succeed and go beyond all expectation …

N19: Would you rather be on a label or remain indie? What’s your flavor?

Ibn: Well I am still exploring what it means to be indie ….grant it if a label were to approach me and I deemed a record deal suitable, I would gladly take the offer only if it meant that my vision can come to life creatively … But for now I am doing that on my own.

N19: Tell us your dopest verse … .

Ibn: There’s an unreleased song of mine called “pandemonium” that I excluded from my last project due to crunch time and last minute decisions ….

But it goes:

“Once upon an apsis// sicker than your average// psyche ward on a farce of the Dmt lighting matches // there was, funk on the basset

Cruising down the block to spot a narc on the ave plotting plants in Easter baskets // as syphilis in a vat from out of space got elastic like nasa hatch it//

with winter soldiers out of hydra//in the cut like a mansion on abroad to the hood giving to the poor// can’t see them? I can’t seem them either…..

The basis of a liar// that’s singing like Mariah to an infant in a fire of combustion on ambien”-

Ibn Orator

And the rest of this song will have to be heard on the official release of the track….. But I believe that was my dopest verse.

N19: Whats your favorite thing to do when you’re not doing music?

Ibn: I like to watch anime a lot especially abridged versions for comical relief… as well as spend time with my girlfriend. There’s a lot of things I like to do when I’m not doing music… it’s kinda hard to name one …lol i also like to study and watch movies that provoke thought.

N19: Carnivore or veggies?

Ibn: Mostly veggies with a little bit of meat as of lately.

N19: ASCAP or BMI?

Ibn: I’m currently on BMI.

N19: If you can change one thing in the world what would it be?

Ibn: Idk there’s too many things to consider …I would perhaps change our educational system into something more based on self awareness for people of all trades of the world… Not exactly keen on that for sure …I would have to take more time to think about what it is exactly I would change.